I love to read.
I love to sniff books. The paper smell? Is intoxicating.
But I can only do it if I buy the book. If I get a book from the library, I don't go sniffing it because who knows where it's been?
Lately, I've received some rather gross books from the library. Books with weird things smeared on the pages. Books that smell.
Yes, smell.
I got one that smelled as though it had been BATHING in cigarette smoke. Every time I'd turn a page and blast of smoke would puff up into my face.
It was bad. As in, giving me a headache, bad.
Why people feel the need to treat library books like crap is beyond me. It's common sense NOT spill stuff all over them. Mistakes happen, yes, but report it when you turn it into the library at least.
And the cigarette smoke? Well, I wish people wouldn't smoke and read books but I know it's unrealistic. But maybe blow your smoke AWAY from the book?
I was tempted to spray some perfume on the book, but I didn't want to make people sick with THAT scent. So I just read the book and tried not to breathe in so sharply.
But seriously?
Try to keep library books away from the cigarette smoke.
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I absolutely HATE cigarette smell. Ugh. I wish smoking would just go away.
ReplyDeleteThe worst is when you have to walk past a crowd of smokers outside a building puffing away (aka dragging their lungs on the pavement). It is like walking through a tunnel of cancer!
Ewww gross. I am with you. I love the smell of books, not smoke though. Yuck. I have my Grandpa's old dresser and for YEARS after he had it, some clothes would smell of smoke if I hadn't worn them for a while and sat in the drawers for a while.
ReplyDeleteUgh, that would annoy me so much. I have asthma that is exacerbated by cigarette smoke. Luckily, I haven't had that problem with a library book yet...
ReplyDeletethat is nasty! maybe librarians should smell the books before re-shelving them and fine people who get them all stinky.
ReplyDeleteI feel like when people smoke.. nothing is exempt. Just think of cars and hotel rooms. You can never truly get the smell out. Terrible.
ReplyDeletethat's so nasty! not a fan of smoke of any kind and I hate when things smell like smoke! my aunt and uncle are big smokers and I swear even their shower smells like a freaking cigarette which made me think - do they also smoke in the shower? so weird lol.
ReplyDeleteUgh, smoking. It ruins everything. The smell of a brand new book is one of my favorite things - it's why I can't get a Kindle!
ReplyDeleteAnything that smells like cigarette smoke is gross but a library book? It's not your book! Don't smoke near it!!
ReplyDeleteYou just made me glad I have been borrowing books online shopping brought the library now as much as I miss physical books from time-to-time now!
ReplyDeleteA brand new book smells so good, but it's been a while since I've read a physical book. All about the Kindle since I got hit with excess baggage weight fees because of my books... HA
ReplyDeleteI just think people don't realise it's not theirs. I am getting all boiled up just reading your post. Have some respect, think of someone other than yourself... grr just grr!
ReplyDeleteTrue, true, do not go sniffing library books. The thought makes my skin crawl!
ReplyDeleteGross! In all my years of library borrowing, I've never had that problem. I'm a little surprised now that I think of it.
ReplyDeleteA bad smelling book really is the worst! How are you supposed to read when you're feeling sick by the smell?
ReplyDeleteI feel the same way, I loathe the smell of cigarette smoke. Unfortunately it's not as easy as not blowing smoke on a book while you're reading it. If your a heavy smoker your whole house is going to smell like smoke, and this so will everything in it. My Mom smokes, and my brother does not, and never has, but he lives at home where she smokes inside the house. Well he recently lent me a few of his own personal books and every one of them reeks of cigarette smoke. I know my Mom didn't read them, so just by being in the house the books have taken on the smoke smell. And it's lasted for days. Makes me sad to think what it's doing to my brother living there, if it can do that to books. Anyway I just wanted to clarify that the smokers may not be blowing on the books while reading them to give them that awful smell.
ReplyDeleteThank you for another perspective!
DeleteI agree! I read a series of books a few years ago & every book reeked of cigarettes. I finally started sticking dryer sheets in the books to freshen them up a little.
ReplyDeleteUgh, I've had those, plus books where people have had their coffee cups on a page, or some sort of food and the pages have stuck together, or I've had big long hairs in mine.
ReplyDeleteBlech!